Review Blog

Jul 29 2015

Storm Rescue by Darrel and Sally Odgers

Ill. by Janine Dawson. Pup Patrol bk 3. Scholastic
Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781743623015
(Age: 6-8 years) Recommended. Storm Rescue is the third book in the
Pup Patrol Series by the same authors who bought us the
delightful Jack Russell: Dog Detective and Pet Vet
series. Aimed at the young independent reader and narrated by Stamp
we are given a dog's view of events.
Stamp, the Border Collie, and his friends Ace, 'a dog of mixed breed
and bad manners', and James, their human, attend the Great Atherton
K9 Festival, but competition is not the only challenge they have to
face. It appears that Cyclone Julia has headed out to sea as James
and the dogs arrive at the Festival campsite, meeting other
participants and organisers and inspecting the course in preparation
for the competition the next day. Ace is less than happy, though
young Imogen's attempts to make friends impress her.
Cyclone Julia arrives with little warning and the campers and their
animals head to the nearby woolshed for shelter. There Stamp helps
James and other Civil Defence volunteers secure the site and round
up panicked animals whilst Ace keeps Imogen company as the storm
rages outside.
As the cyclone passes it is up to Stamp to find Imogen and Ace who
appear to have gone missing during the night.
There are many appealing features to this story, not just the
messages about responsible dog ownership and care when approaching
unfamiliar animals. The black and white illustrations add to the
enjoyment and give readers visual clues to some of the events like
the cyclone's arrival. The addition of a glossary at the end of each
chapter explaining Stamp's own language like 'yaffle' and 'smarl'
and a variety of words with paws included like 'pawsessive' and
'suppaws' as well as concepts like Civil Defence and Pack Order help
support comprehension and add to the reader's knowledge.
Sue Keane